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Riley County Historical Museum reopens exhibits, reports higher February attendance and starts large deaccession effort
Summary
Museum director reported that February visitation rose compared with the prior year, outlined education programs and field-trip plans, and described a planned deaccession of nearly 3,900 library books to free space for archives work.
Catherine Hensler, director of the Riley County Historical Museum, told commissioners on March 10 that February visitation increased compared with the same month last year and outlined museum programming, volunteer contributions and a planned collections cleanup.
Hensler said the museum recorded 453 total attendees across museum sites and programs in February 2025 (286 at the museum, 39 at the Goodhoneau House, 10 at the Wolf House, and 118 for programs and outreach), compared with 371 total attendees in February 2024. Volunteer hours increased as well: the museum recorded 151.5 volunteer hours in February 2025, which included general volunteers, Historical Society Board members and community-service workers.
Programming highlights included a UFM class presentation on the Exoduster movement, a grand reopening weekend event and a class visit from K-State students focused on the 1951 flood. Hensler said the museum will hold fireside chats, outreach presentations and a temporary exhibit schedule that includes a Civil War currency exhibit through April 13 and a genealogy-focused exhibit opening April 14.
On collections and archives, Hensler said staff and volunteers have cleared excess furniture and reorganized the archives space; she described plans to deaccession nearly 3,900 older library books that occupy storage space and do not meet the museum's collections criteria. "We are embarking on a very large scale, deaccession project of the books in the library," Hensler said. The museum plans fourth-grade field trips April 15–May 1 with historic-site visits supported by the historical society's transportation grants.
Hensler asked commissioners to note that the museum is recruiting volunteers to support the upcoming field-trip season and that staff will continue to provide monthly reports to the commission.
